In general, asphalt shingles and roofing waste comprises asphalt and filler material, e.g., surface granules, reinforcing fiber or fiberglass, and other filler materials. Typically, asphalt makes up about 35% of shingles and roofing wastes. Asphalt is derived from crude oil. As rapidly as the price of crude oil has risen, the price of asphalt has recently risen even more rapidly. In addition to the costs associated with the use of crude oil in the asphalt manufacturing process, the process of manufacturing asphalt shingles also requires considerable amounts of fossil fuels to heat both the asphalt and the fillers combined in the manufacturing process.
Considerable waste is involved with the manufacture and use of asphalt roofing materials, such as shingles and roll roofing membranes. Significant amounts of roofing waste may end up in landfills. With efficient asphalt recovery systems and processes, roofing waste represents a valuable source of recoverable asphalt.